Guard your Heart ...

Pro. 4:23
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

For the good of all, let's rightly divide our text.

Keep:
Guard, Hide, To be a watchman over

Heart:
Feelings, intellect, mind, center

Diligence:
Suggest the watch of a prison or ward. ‘With delegated authority keeping certain things in and other things out’

Issues: your deliverances and boundaries

Life:
Strength; age; appetite; company; congregation;
happiness; multiplication; to maintain
quickness; ability to run and spring up;
Your revival; Your ability to give and receive; Your nourishment; Your ability to preserver; to recover, repair, restore, to be whole and to prosper.


We use the Word of God and our faith, so very superficially. When we need to get serious about it. We need to study to show ourselves approved according to II Timothy 2:15 and in doing so, be renewed in the spirit of our minds according to Eph. 4:23.
II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.


Study:
To use speed; To make effort; to be prompt and earnest; to labor; to make haste; to make it your business;

Rightly dividing:
to take it apart, study it, see how it aligns properly with the life you now live (Spirit life).


Eph 4:23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Renewed:
Reformed; Renovated

Spirit of your Mind:
The rational soul (mind, will emotions), mental disposition (attitudes).


In other words be reformed and renovated through the life you now live in Christ, by the aide and with the help of the Holy Spirit.

You are not alone in this renewal process, but you are key, YOU have to show up and give yourself to the Spirit teacher.

It has been said, “When the student is ready the teacher will come.”
Others have said it like this, “When you are ready the teacher will appear.”

Most people live and die and have never readied themselves (became teachable) for the inward teacher, who at times also comes upon you.

The truth is the Holy Spirit is available, but being one just like Jesus, he is not going to press himself upon you, nor is he going to make you do anything.

He will wait on you.

He will speak to you, attempt to lead you because being like Jesus, his nature is for you. But you must contribute with your own participation.

The Holy Spirit is a teacher, helper, comforter, standby, counselor, intercessory aide, and advocate, but you must do your part. You must ready yourself and learn this life we now live by faith.

You can not just seat back doing things the way you have always done them and expect to excel or move to new levels.

You can’t keep listening to every Tom, Dick and Harry who are living unstable, unproductive, weird and fruity lifestyles. Instead you must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit teacher, and get counsel from those who are godly and making progress both spiritually and naturally.

You have to think differently to move forward in life, no matter what stage you are at. Each day there are ample opportunities to gain knowledge and understanding that will take you to new levels of living and success.

Stay teachable ... be daily transformed!
Joyce Meyer said,
“Your thoughts produce attitudes, and your attitudes will determine your altitude.”

Meaning your thoughts and attitudes will determine your progress and success in every area of life.

A large percent of the time peoples minds are idling … running randomly and undisciplined. They are not focused.

At other times minds are in gear, but that gear is reverse, taking them backwards or into a present collision by gazing at what is past.

And yet at other times the mind is actually consciously kept and directed in present day activity and future day possibilities.

We need to train our human spirit to align with the Holy Spirits lead.
We need to learn to be good students of the Word and Spirit, passing every test that is handed to us; this is the way to promotion.

The beginning of this spiritual education is getting the right things into the mind.
Many people are Sick minded, Devil minded, Poverty minded, Negative minded … so forth. But we are to have the mind of Christ. He did not live in this realm. He was Kingdom minded, making Him, Generous minded, Health minded, Victory Minded, Positive Minded, Love and Peace Minded.

We need to learn how to get our minds stayed; Learn how to focus and stay focused until we obtain the thing we are focusing on. We have to learn to discipline our minds so that we think on things that are honest, just, pure, lovely and offer good reports.

Why?
Because what our minds are stayed on is what we are going to produce.

Not because you have whatsoever you think as an absolute, but as a man thinks he soon becomes … why?

What we think will drop into our center most being and from there we will begin to speak. The Word tells us form the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and also that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat the fruit their of … what fruit.

The fruit that is produced by the Seeds that you allow to go down into your mind and take root Once they have taken root, they will branch out of your mouth and turn into visible manifestations.

In other words we say what we think and have what we say. And since we are made in the image and likeness of God … we create within our mind’s eye (we could say from our Spirit eye), and then we bring it to pass through declaration.

Now don’t be deceived you can have most anything you imagine for good or evil … so make your imaginations good ones.

The tower of Babel was a creation that was in manifestation from imaginations actions, but it was evil … and evil will never prevail. So don’t try to use the Word for evil purposes, or you words may become God tangled, and thus your creation be stopped by the greater imagination and word. (if you are unfamiliar with the Tower of Babel you can find it in the book of Genesis chapters 10 and 11).

Another good example is Zachariah’s … John the Baptist Father. When the Lord wanted to bring forth a child through the womb of Elizabeth and name that child John. He knew that Zachariah’s traditional ideas could thwart that plan, therefore Johns tongue was made dumb until Elizabeth gave birth … and once Zachariah sided with the God plan and then His tongue was loosed.

This is actually for us a great promise as we can know that if someone made it to the top so to speak through principle without godly purpose that plan can be thwart through godly manifestations.

I recall a person who left the dark side and came to the light. They had been into witchcraft from many years. They understood prayer, meditation and manifestation. They had experienced in the body out of the body spiritual activity.

The story goes something like this:
We were taught how to leave our bodies and by the Spirit go into places. We could go into a house and find out anything we wanted to know about that place or we could go by the Spirit and hassle people at our desire.

He said, I had done it many times and then would return to my physical body without and opposition. Until one night I decided to go and hassle a Christian that I assumed was like all the others I had met. They had a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof, those kind I could hassle easily and get my way among them. But this night was different. I came face to face with one who knew their God. (The God I know now and serve).

On this night I left my body and traveled in the Spirit to this lady's home. What was amazing where others had not even recognized a Spirit being there ... she recognized me, and when she did she turn and took a spiritual authority that I knew nothing about, and with that authority she bound me and I could not leave and go back to my physical body.

I kept thinking if she does not loose me from this state I will never be able to get back to my physical body again. I will be lost in here this state, so from that Spirit life I made a conscious decision that if I could ever get back into my body I would serve the same God she served. I would take Jesus as my Lord and savior unto good deeds.

It was only at that place I could return to my body. The next day I went to the church that I knew she was part of and gave my life to the Lord. The Spirit realm is real ... but light will always dispel the darkness.

There is one who comes AS and angel of light, but is not true light. That one will never prevail.
He is evil and there is no good in him.

But Jesus is both the truth and the light and in him there is no shadow of turning. There is no ying and yang with him ... he is just yang. He is light in him there is no darkness! Our God is 100% Spirit, 100% Truth, 100% Light.

John 10:30 says:
I and the Father are one … then Jesus prayer in John 17 that we to with them become one.
This can only be done by the Spirit and in the Spirit. When we walk int he Spirit we too can walk in perfect love, light and truth.

One in mind, one in purpose, one in unison. Commanding and creating good.

Lu 11:34
The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness


In order to do this we must not give place to the flesh nature, we must keep our ego and intellect suppressed. Thus we have the scripture Proverbs 3:5-6 … Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

We must learn to never impose our will against God’s best desires and plans for use. We must be open to Him, when producing and creating.

The word manifestations is an interesting word meaning: to bring into demonstration or evidence that can be seen.

I like what someone once said concerning manifestations.
It is man infestation … or we could say man … creating many things into the earth (or his life).

When people use the word 'infestation' they often us it concerning epidemics or large break outs of harmful things. But there can be, and should be infestations of good in the earth.

Deuteronomy 28 says that the blessing should be coming upon us in ‘infestation’ proportion.

Deut. 28:1-2
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

This is our promise of manifestations of good.

But if we refuse to get our minds (renewed) and set. If we refuse to do things the God way what could have been blessing instead be a curse.
De 28:15
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

This would be infestations (or manifestations) of evil.

Both the good and the evil come form our own choices, and choices come from mindsets.
So it is time for us to get our minds set on good things.

Isa 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Mind:
The thought realm, the imagination … the place where things are worked out and things are framed.

Stayed:
Established and resting

So He will keep him in perfect peace whose thoughts and imaginations are established and resting; because they are secure in hope and confidence that they will have what they have been thinking and imagining, as they operate in proper spiritual authority.

Remember nothing that is created was … until it was first in the mind of God or Man and spoken into existence.

Some creations begin and then are aborted because of lost focus. Some are formed within and miscarried and lost. How is that?

People begin to imagine [mentally begin to create], but soon lose focus. Their words drop and the project or what ever their imagination was comes to an end. It is never birthed.

Some things are created and then abandoned. They are created in the mind, manifested in the earth and then there is no maintenance [faithfulness and commitment] to the creation.

People who are not centered (focused / balanced) will often begin things and then never carry them out, or think thinks and imagine things but never but actions with them.

Births of any kind will call or a travail, and then for the responsibility of maintenance. That is part of the God kind of life. And your thoughts and imaginations are a part of it all. The mind is always acting to create and birth. But it also must be trained to create and birth good and then disciplined to maintain what it births (creates).

Put theThanks with the Giving

I recall a poem by Walt Whitman this Thanksgiving Season.




Dear Stranger
if you in passing, meet me,
and desire to speak to me,
why should you not speak to me?
And why should I not speak to you?
~Walt Whitman



For many 2010 has not been a light breaking year. Some have lost jobs, others changed jobs or been scaled down in pay.

Many have lost homes, and others may suffered through tragedies. We must not close our eyes, nor all the light within us to be snuffed out.

In hardships our light must shine! We are to be like lights on hills, shining in the darkness. Beacons that remain when the harsh winds of adversity blow.

This year I will have the honor and privilege of spending Thanksgiving Day with my immediate, and some extended family. But it has not always been so, our days and years vary ... they are all diverse ... none absolute in their creation. I recall some years with only a few family members and no Turkey or stuffing.

One year our thanksgiving plates were rounded with Pizza Pie and laughter, one with local restaurant goods, surrounded by people we did not know .. but smiles went out creating other smiling faces through the diner.

Some thanksgiving days were spent in remembrance of a family member that no longer sat among us ... and one was spent recovering from a great character attack when heart and emotions had been abused and broken.

Yet, another was spent with an acquaintance, one my family did not really even know at the time. A dear man who had a slight mental illness and had no family near him. While others shunned him, God looked well upon Him by asking us to feed Him and show him love and kindness. Though this man's life hopefully and seemly was blessed that Thanksgiving, ours all the more from the opportunity.

I will spare you the details of all of my families none traditional Thanksgiving events. However, I felt the need to express just a few to make a point.

What's the point you might be asking? The point is ... God is good, ALL the time!
In the easy times and the most challenging times, and we should always show forth His praises.


Eph. 5:15-20

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;



Life is what you make it. It is filled with Blessings or Curses, but you get to choose.

Thanksgiving is not about what's on the table, or how beautiful your house is decorated. It is about enjoying lives that are surrounding you and remembering the lives of those who have passed. And like our poet Walt said ... speaking to and befriending those who are passing by.

Thanksgiving was built upon ... thank offerings to Our Heavenly Father. It was a day prepared, and a table set with what the earth brought forth.It was a day without discrimination or war.

It was a relationship building day, when people enjoyed people as much as the food they shared. Children laughing, ideas elaborated on, loved ones remember, and plans made for a bright future.

In our modern world many can enjoy these same things, as well as a warm house, parade, football, movie, shopping ... we are blessed with much to be thankful for. But for some ... there may not be a house, food to eat, TV to watch, or money for shopping. Thus ... our light must shine.

As we enjoy this season. Let us remember to be thankful for, and enjoy all of our blessings. But let us choose to also be a blessing.

Maybe you can invite someone to Thanksgiving Dinner, or offer a smile across a restaurant. You could open your purse to the poor, or aide them by serving in some fashion.

You will know from the deep place within you, what you can and should do.

So with this in mind today (the day before the feast). I challenge you opt to pray a day early, being thankful for all your blessings, and then inquire of what you might do to let your light shine this thanksgiving holiday season.

Be a carrier of light, a vessel of hope, a spokesman and representative of truth. This year, Put the Thanks with the Giving and let others know that God is good!

Keeping the Thanks in My Giving and wishing you a very Happy 'Thanksgiving'.

Divisive Spirts a Vortex of Destruction

Don't allow a Spirit of division to cause a vortex of destruction!

Safe guard your home. Never allow a spirit of division an entrance. If one does happen to slip in, use your authority which is robbed in love and power to put it out as quickly as possible. Divisive spirits are fires that will destroy relationships.

The enemy carries a divisive nature, while God calls forth unity. The God kind of Faith and Unity will always build relationships and organizations.

Unity is fueled by faith and fired by love. Unity talks about locking arms and is a creative force. Unity draws in blessing and creates an atmosphere that is welcoming and rich with peace and blessing.

As Christians we understand that our battle is never flesh and blood, but principalities, powers and wickedness in higher realms. Therefore, a spirit of division is normally not recognized by those who live in the carnal realm until it is already in manifestation. But those who live in Spirit, should also walk in the Spirit and have the ability to pin point divisiveness before it brings it's deadly weaponry out in the open.

Many times those who carry a divisive spirit are insecure or carnal in nature. Those immature in Spirit may easily never recognize a divisive spirit. A devise spirit will present its self many times in the form of power. But it is false power. It stands before people to intimidate them, to try to may them step out of God positions. But remember when dealing with a Spirit of division, God did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self discipline (sound mind), and do not be moved!

I have seen this spirit run it's course unchallenged and work it's havoc. It normally works to separate and then it splits and leaves those separated alone and battered. I have watched this spirit nature come between husbands and wives, friends, siblings, and into homes and organizations to destroy them. Guard strong against it.

Paul spoke of it within the arena of the church, when he was endeavoring to bring a group of people into unity.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

As you continue to read in I Corinthians you will find chapter 13 speak about love and it's attributes. Love is the antidote for strife and the agent that will defuse division, while causing your faith to ignite victory in your life.

Do not allow a gift or calling (position) to make you a slave to strife. Refuse to be a carrier of division. We are called to unity of the faith, with the understanding that there are many members. Every member vital and necessary. They are not to be tossed out and left to die in desert places.

It is amazing to me how positions can get the best of people, instead of being used as a platform to bring the best out of people. Jesus' life was His platform. He is found taking those who were pregnant with greatness and building them.

Jesus did not separate people from others, we even hear his pray for unity and usefulness in John chapter 17. Jesus' only idea of separation was that His followers be kept from the evil in the world, so they could be separated into the World to greater purposes.

Jesus love was and is, amazing love. Even in the midst of religious strife, His cry was 'Oh Jerusalem how I have longed to take you under my wing like a mother hen would take her chicks ... but you would not.'

Jesus nature is not only loving, but also protecting nature. His was a kingdom building nature ... but we must remember His kingdom is not of this world ... it is a greater kingdom within the realms of people. By building people vs. organizations, organizations could be built nearly effortlessly. Flowing and functioning like a loving family considering one another.

The World is ready conquer and draw to themselves great followings and names. Jesus came to offer life and that more abundant. His entire life sat upon the reading of the Word from the book of Isaiah:

*The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised ... To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

If the nature of the windy vortex around you is not there to eradicate poverty; heal the broken; deliver (not destroy, divide or discard) those in bondage of sin; to enlighten eyes with liberating truth; and set people free ... then you must do everything you can to safe guard against it.

This nature can rise up from within you, or twirl around you as it cause others to dance to it's demonic beat, but at all cost guard your heart ... for out of it comes the issues of life.

Do not fall prey to a divisive spirit ... don't let the enemy who is ranked a zero (holds not legal power) a place.

Take Care of the House of God

When reading the title of this blog, I wonder what you thought? Did you immediately think of the building we are so quick to call the church, [which is actually only a place to assemble ourselves together for worship]. If you did I am glad that you desire to be a blessing in your place of worship. However, I would like to talk to you today about taking care of the true 'House' of God.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

As born again believers 'You' are the House of God. You are a house of prayer for all nations. The house of God is not a building with walls. God lives in You and I. And it is time that we learn to take care of His temple.

Sometimes people take better care of their cars than they do their own bodies. This should not be ... God does not dwell in cars.

It is good to take care of all things that God has blessed us with, including our cars. But it is more essential to take care of yourself and other human beings, for God dwells within people.

There are many natural things we can do to take care of our bodies. And sometimes those natural things are also spiritual.One of those things is to eat right and in proper portions.

The word teaches against over indulgences, and teaches us to be temperate in all things. We can also, refresh and hydrate our bodies with plenty of water and fluids.

Sleep is good for the body, as we regenerate while we are resting. Psalms 127:2 tells us that it is vain to get up early and set up late. It is also written that the Lord gives his Beloved sleep and it is sweet.

Another thing we can do that is like medicine to our bodies is to laugh often. Laughter is said to set off feel good endorphins in the body, which work to keep us healthier.

We also know that worry and stress works ills within us. Therefore, let us not be anxious (worried) about anything, but instead be prayerful and thankful, as we cast all of our cares over on the Lord.

We find a thread throughout the Gospels of washing the feet. We have many reasons that we wash feet. Especially in the sense of spiritual purpose. Yet, our feet carry us around the day long, therefore it is good to take care of them. Learn to let them rest. Soak your feet, elevate them, relax and hydrate them with oils. When your feet are kept, your whole body feels better.

Pamper yourself ... by doing so you are pampering the house of God.

Have you ever deep cleaned your natural house (the four walled one)?
Have you ever put a coat of fresh paint on it or washed it down good inside and out?
If you are faithful with what God has blessed you with, you have. But in all that faithfulness, don't forget to pamper God's House.

• Take relaxing baths, bask in sea salted waters.
• Take a hot shower and/or set in a steaming sauna.

Be sure to enjoy the quiet or put on soft music while you are bathing ... it is good to quiet the mind. When you lay back in tub or at bed time ... place a nice compress across your eyes to relieve tension.

The bible tells us that the Word of God is life to us and health to all of our flesh ...so be sure to daily read the Word of God. Let His word be before your eyes, in your ears and roll off of your tongue daily. It will keep the temple in top shape.

That's all for today ... just a pleasant reminder To Take Care of the House of God.

Wisdom in Silence

Have you ever wanted to give someone a piece of your mind?
I think most people have at one time or the other. If you have not kudos to you.
But for all those who ever want to give someone a piece of their mind; for those who have been frustrated with ignorance, arrogance, and the know it all ... this blogs for you!

~ Martin Fraquhar Tupper once said:
"Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech."

What a wise man he was if he remained silent as his quote suggest.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:7 reads as follows:
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

When we talk about keeping silent we are not talking about never saying anything. We live by our words. But because we live by our words we should learn to choose them well. We should also learn that to cast our pearls before swine is only to have them trampled.

~ Mattew 7:6
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Here the word swine represents those who are self centered and believe that they know the way and not one else gets a say. They want to make a mark for themselves without thought for others.

People like this will make their own ruin certain, as the famous Jimmy Durante once said:
"Be nice to people on your way up. You'll meet 'em on your way down."

~ Proverbs 23:9
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

So it is best take heed to God's counsel and silently cast off that of a fool.

How is it that keeping silent will help us.

I will be the first to tell you from God's word, and from experience, when you do the will of God (including using your words properly), you will put to silence the ignorance of the foolish.


Many people want to come against authorities and over rule them, instead of communicate properly in a decent order. But the wise will keep silent and do the will of God ... allowing him to direct all paths.

When the time is right God will allow those tongues to be loosed to effect. He will also keep you from wasting good energy within the realms of ignorance, arrogance or the foolish.

There is a time to let your yes be yes, and your no be no, with nothing more said.

~ Matthew 5:37 says:
But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

It is good to be guided by the Holy Spirit and to walk in love at all expense. However, walking in love is not surrendering to evil nor following after stupidity. It is simple quietly walking away in confidence, knowing that God will open a brand new door of opportunity to you from the stance of integrity.

Many times people want to offer a piece of their mind to others, when those who think themselves to be elite refuse to give them entrance or voice, but I say with a very well respected minsters counsel ...

"If someone pushes you out of their circle ... rejoice they just put in a much larger one, with greater opportunities; Leave them in their own small cages."

You will find that learning to use your words properly is a great advantage; from your words will come your future.

Since Words are a creative force that lay out the rail way for your blessing to come and your future to open, use them well. Do not waste them on those who would trample them; nay, keep for yourself a good future.

Take the words that you have ... and place them before God in times of prayer and meditation. Put them on paper as a vision. Create with them a plan. And offer those inventive and great words to those who are willing to receive them toward good; to those who will constructive aide you for betterment without embitterment, to those who can and will run with the vision at hand.

Funny how people want to recreate a visionaries vision. I pray that visionaries are quick enough and wise enough to know when the vision was placed within them it was a heavenly vision, given them by God, and is not to be altered by man. Man is simply to run with it, and bring it to pass.

I have worked with Pastors (Visionaries) for along time now, and I have watched time and time again people showing up to alter the vision. That is error.

Those sent of God will work well with the Pastor and in the rank of the church. They will not bring strife to those who are planted. So it is with any business. Any Boss worth two red cents will not allow someone to come in and alter the business which they have built. Those who are sent will come to aid within the realm of the vision.

A fool comes in with many words. But those who are wise come in an listen. They find out what the business is all about. They know how to be a wind underneath the visionary.


When trouble tries to come into your company, God has your answer. I recall as I put fingertips to keys a story that involved one beautiful lady named Abigail who was married to quite the fool, his name was Nabal.

Abigail was a wonder. She not only beautiful, but had good understanding. You say if she had such good understanding how is it that she was married to such a fool? That was not a choice she was able to make. That was arranged, and in the end still worked toward her good. Just as many times God has arranged for us to be in places that seemed anything but good, and in the end God brought great victory for those like Abigail who would walk in good understanding.

Nabal was one much like those who refuse to receive others ... as is shared with us in I Samuel 25:10 ... Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

As we read the story we find the very ones that Nabal was coming against was the ones that had been a wall about his sheep fold.

Those who have been the strength of the wall are always the first to be attacked. They are the ones who will lay down their lives before they see the sheepfold hurt. They will stand until they are brought down before they will stop battling on behalf of the whole. They are not a people to themselves, but a people who want to be sure that all is well within the camp.

When Abigail finds out that war is about to break out because of the foolishness on Nabal, she steps into action. She becomes a peacemaker. She gathers up her goods and heads out to David.
Upon meeting him, David says: ... Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

Abigail being wise did not come against David with Words, she fell down on her face in homage. And then she ask that her words be heard, even before she spake. At this point, Abigail lays out her heart and advice, and it is received. Abigail had learned when to speak and when to be quite. She was with good understanding.

Learn to use your words properly. Learn how to under gird vision. Under girding vision is supporting it, as it has been given the visionary.

The work we are presently involved in is one that had suffered a crisis. When the Pastor heard from God to keep the sheep together in spite of the conflict. We were called upon to under gird that Pastor.

What was our responsibility? To aide the Pastor in holding the group together.

Later when things had calmed, and people had healed.
What was my part in under girding the Vision? It was to find out what the visionaries next direction was.

This time the direction was get it out in the eye of the public.

What was my job? It was to aid the Pastor in getting the organization out in the eye of the public. It was not to alter that plan, with lots of foolish words and ideas that were misplaced.

Does this mean I had no voice. No, absolutely not. It meant that words were used to
communicate properly. It meant respecting ranks and orders and supporting others. Learning to be silent is not being without a voice, but it is learning to listen closely to the inward voice and speaking in time with the vision.

By operating in a unit I saw this organization (group of believers) go from crisis to victory and form victory to thriving victory.

Don't come into a place like a raging bull, or like the king of the palace that you did not build ... learn that in silence and confidence there is a great strength you will be more powerful than you ever imagined!

The giving and receiving of supplies

Amazing how people blow into your life, blow up and then blow off, when you do not allow them to control you. God is not a controller. He never intended people to control others or to be controlled by others. God created us for fellowship (communication), to work together. He has created us to work together under His Spirit guidance.

In Genesis Chapter 2 we find that Adam was created and placed in the garden to dress and keep it. His directions came from God (who was and is Spirit). Adam communicated directly with God.

There was no need for a secondary mediator. However, since God was Spirit and Adam was Spirit to indwell a flesh body created from the dust, God saw fit for him to have a help meet. This help meet was one; flesh of his flesh, and yet with the Spirit of God indwelling.

Help meet does not suggest control. Help defines, and offers up the idea of aiding, serving and assisting.

Helps is on of the largest and most needed ministries of today. Yet is a one that most people shun, because they feel it entitles control without benefit or recognition. This mentality must change.

Some of the ideals of a help meet are as follows:

• give help or assistance; be of service
  
• improve the condition of
• be of use
• serve
  
• aid
• contribute to the furtherance of
• aid
• improve; change for the better

All of these imply 'working along side', not under a domineering one man or woman show. It is a supply that contributes to other supplies. The word even directs us to be workers together; not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought; and to consider others better than ourselves.

When Paul wrote concerning the church (a body of believers, with Jesus as the head). He spoke of joints supplying. He never spoke of one individual supply that ordered the lot. No Christ as head directed each supply and each supply was meant to work together for the good of the whole.

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. ~ Eph. 4:16 KJV

No prolonged infancy's among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. ~Message

He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, he makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
~ Gods Word

I Cor. 12:27-28 is a reference text that uses not only the five fold ministry, but helps (administrations) and governments.

When people operate in or under an insecure and/or controlling nature, they like small immature children push out those whom they can't control. These are people who want to work only with those whom agree with them. They love the idea of yes men who carry their bags and support their every breath. Yet, when it comes to new ideas and joining supplies for the good, they seem to wain out or disappear. I am not suggestion by any means strife or contentions, but rather healthy communications, for productivity.

I am talking about:

• working together for the good of all.
• about varied (different; diverse) supplies.
• about those who can brain storm without storming out.
• about those who can sit and consider one another and value each persons supply (whether it is used or not).
• about those who can offer a ideas and still stay in the game working with others whether or not their idea is promoted.

I am not suggesting that people should not have self respect or think themselves competent, but rather that they be flexible in service. I am suggesting that walls fall and people learn to work together in spite of cultural backgrounds or traditions of men; standing together as men and women of God; young, old, tall, short, thin, heavy, black, white, yellow or red. We should be able to communicate allowing our diversities stimulate us to become something better, instead of causing dissensions.

Likewise, as a body of believers the Pastor should be able to communicate with the evangelist and the evangelist with the apostle; apostle with prophet, prophet with teacher; teacher with helps; helps with governments and so forth. There should not be a breakdown in communications and supplies, because of position.

Refuse to allow insecurities that stem from deception to control your life. Refuse to stand in the shadow of everyone else opinion and supply and add yours to the mix. You will be glad you did, so will others.